Pocket magnifier



Nov. 5, 1968 Filed Nov. 15, 1965 R. VOGEL POCKET MAGNIF IER 2 Sheets-Sheet l //V 11 iii; z2

C 1,1/ n j wma/U 19M@ ,1 MAMJF-IER/ g? 'I qu 19 f a f APOCKEJV l 19 POCKET a MAGNJFIER i MAQNIFLER l. l i

ZZ zo 22 INVENTOR RUDEILF VDEEL.

ATTDRNEYS.

Nov. 5, 1968 R. VOGEL 3,409,347

POCKET MAGNIFIER 'led' Nov. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 bog* Y wiz z5 mgl 22 16 14A @AL 15A 2 15/-5 if f l a A 26 17A 1f" l 17A 25 L k 27 Emili wwPocKs-r l 19A- MAQNWHE e .2 ,',7//3v l 19919095357 'k12 A. n INVENTOR. r1 lYLID ULF VBEL.

States Patentw f y 3,409,347 y POCKET MAGNIFIER Rudolf Nagel, 1140 Laurel Ave., BridgeporLIConn. 06604 Filed Nov. 15,1965, ser. No. 507,393 "16 Claims. (cl. 35o-242) for example, imitation leather,and, because of its'ex'treme 1 flexibility when Athe relatively stiff lens unit was vin a projectedl position, it provided a very limp and unsatisfactory handle for thellens unit, making it difficult" to support it in parallel relation to the object beingl magnified, for eXarnple, a printed page. i y

Pocket magnifiers'of this type have very often been used as advertising media with advertising matter printed or impressed upon the case, Iusually upon' both sides'thereof. This not only involved separate printingA of the two sides, but, due to the` fact that the printed matter was applied to exposed surfaces of the case, it was'sbject to rapid deterioration and wear from'normal use and from abrasion as a result of being'carried in thepocket of'the user. v, f.

vAn object of the invention' is to providefan improved pocket magnifier wherein the case may 'be formed of transparent flexible plastic sheet material, and'wherein a folded cardboard stiffening liner is inserted and secured within the transparent case with the lens unit telescopically engaged between two layers of the liner. VThis arrangement not only facilitates the assembly of the magnifier, enabling the'lens unit and the liner to be simultaneously inserted in kthe case, but providesa st iffening means forthe case whereby when the lens unit is projected, the combined case and liner have sufficient stiffness to support the'extended lens unit without bending under its weight. Also, the liner in its disassembled unfolded 'state presents a singlel planar outer surface, enabling it to be imprinted with advertising matter or the like lover the entire area of such outer surface, so that, when folded and inserted in the case, the printed matter will be visible through'the transparent caseAat both sides. Furthermore, the trans-A parent case protects the printed matter from deterioration and wear. p l

A further object is to provide an improved methodl of assembling the magnifier, whereby the assembled lens unit and liner may be inserted in the case and, following such insertion, retaining means may be `applied to the case to permanently retain the liner therein and to provide stop means for interlocking engagement with the lens unit to retain it in the case and to limit its movement to projected position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection'with the accompanying ldrawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention.. is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a top plan view of a pocket magnifier according to the invention, the same being shown with the lens unit retracted;

Patented Nov. 5, 1968 FIIIIGl. 2 is an end elevation as seen from the right in FIG. 3' is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a top plan View showing the lens unit extended;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the liner in unfolded position;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the lens unit separated from the magnifier;

FIG. 7'is a transverse sectional view, on anenlarged scale, taken' along the line 7'-7 of FIG."6; FIG. 8 is a plan view of the case separated from the magnifier and prior to assembly of the linerand lens :unit therewith;

FIG.'9`-is a perspective View on a reduced scalelshowing the parts' of the magnifier in separated relation, the jar# rows respectivelyI indicating first, the step of inserting the lens unit in the'linerand second, the step of inserting the combined' lens unit and liner in the case; i

FIG. 10 is a' perspective view showing step of providing the assembled parts with retaining means in the form of heat seal areas;

FIG. 1,1 is a top plan view of magnifier according to a 'modification of the invention in which the retaining means comprises a pair of eyelets;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a liner according toa modified form of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the liner of FIG. 1'2 in foldedv assembled relation with the lens unit;

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the' line 14-14 of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a top view plan on an enlarged scale showing the liner and lens unit of FIGS. 13 and 14 assembled with the case, the dot-and-dash lines showing the extended position of the lens unit. Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-10, the pocket magnifier comprises a case 10 formed of two identical superimposed layers of transparent thermoplastic sheet material, for example, polyvinyl sheet, heat sealed along one end and two sides, as at 11, and provided at its open end with thumb notches 12 to fa- Acilitate withdrawal of the lens unit, as-will hereinafter more fully appear. The liner 13 comprises two sections 14 and of identical outline integrally connected together along a centrally disposed fold line 16, the width dimension of the liner in'its folded position being such as t0 enable it to be inserted in the case with a snugpfit along its longitudinal edges, and its length dimension being such that its folded inner end is contiguous to the closed end of the case and its outerpopen end is substantially in register with the edges of the open edge of the case, each of the liner sections being provided at its outer end with a thumb notch 17 which registers with the thumb notch 12 of the case.

Additionally, the liner sections are provided at the corners of their outerends withrectangular cutouts 18, for a purpose presently to more fully appear.

The unfolded liner, as clearly seen in FIG. 5, may have both sections simultaneously imprinted with advertising matter or the like 19 and the section 15 may preferably have the notation This Side Up printed thereon, as at 19-A, for the purpose of properly orienting the magnifier when in use, as will presently more fully appear.

The lens unit 20 is formed of transparent plastic sheet material having a substantial degree of stiffness and having fresnel lens formations 21 molded into its upper surface. For proper magnification the fresnel lens formations should ybe at the upper side during use .of the magnifier. The lens unit is of rectangular outline, its width dimension being less than the width dimension of the liner and substantially corresponding to the transverse distance between the corner notches 18. At its inner end there are provided outwardly projecting Ylug adapted in the assembled relation with the liner insert to be longitudinally aligned with the notches 18. The length dimension of the lens unit is such that in its assembled and retracted position, its inner end edge will abut the fold of the liner and its outer end edge will be exposed within the thumb notches 12 and 17 of the case and liner.

The parts of the magnifier are assembled as shown in FIG. 9, the lens unit being first placed between the two layers of the folded liner and positioned with its inner edge engaged with the fold. The assembled liner and the'lens unit are then inserted in the case with the outer end edges of the liner brought into Substantially registered relation with the edges of the open end `of the case. Thereupon retaining means is provided to retain the parts in assembled relation, such retaining means being in the form of heat sealed areas 23-23 joining the two layers of the case together at the corner areas of its open end in the spaces embraced by the corner notches 18 of the liner, such heat seals being produced by suitable heat seal dies 24-*24 as seen in FIG. 10. Thus, as clearly seen in FIGS. l and 4, the retaining areas 23 fix the liner within the case lagainst longitudinal movement while permitting the lens unit to be withdrawn to the point where the lugs 22 come into abutting relation with the retaining areas 23 to limit the projected position of the lens unit.

In PIG. 11 there is shown a modified retaining means in the form of a pair of eyelets 25-25 joining the two layers of the case together within the areas defined by the notches 18 of the liner, and which function in substantially the same manner as the heat seal areas 23 to retain the liner in place and to limit projection of the lens unit. In FIGS. 12-15 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the liner 13-A is generally similar to the liner 13 of the first embodiment of the invention, but does not have the corner notches 18. The two sections 14-A and 1S-A are adapted to be folded upon each other along the fold line 16-A and the section 15-A is provided with an extension fold section -B, a transverse vslot 26 being provided between them which terminates in spaced relation to each longitudinal edge where fold lines 27-27 extend from the ends of the slot to the longitudinal edges of the liner. The sections 14-A and 15-A are provided with thumb notches 17-A and the extension fold 15-B is provided with a thumb notch 28 which in the folded relation registers with thevregistered thumb notches 17-A of the sections 14-A and 15-A.

The lens unit 20 is the same as that of the first embodiment and its width dimension corresponds to the length of the slot 26, so that in the assembled relation as seen in FIGS. 13 and 14, with the extension fold 15-B folded between sections 14A and 15-A, the outer end of the lens unit projects through the slot 26 where it is exposed within the thumb notches. In this relation, the Ilug projections 22 of the lens unit are in longitudinal line with the folds 2.7-27 which serve to limit the extended position of the lens unit with respect to the liner.

The assembled liner and lens unit as seen in FIGS. 1 and 14 are inserted into the transparent case 10 as seen in FIG. 15 and the inner end of the liner is thereupon permanently secured to the case by inserting a pair of eyelets 29 through the corner areas of the case and the liner at the closed end of the case at points removed from the inner end edge of the lens unit in its retracted position. Thus, the lens unit is free to be extended to the operative position as indicated by the dot-and-dash lines, which position is limited by the abutment of lugs 22 with the folds 27 of the liner. Obviously, other suitable means may portions- 22-22 which are 4 be-employed tosecure vthe case and liner together, for example, they may be stapled together.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pocket magnifier of the character described comprising, in combinationf v (A) a generallyrectangular case formed of superimposed :upper and lower-layers closed along the longitudinal side edges and .along-one end edge of the case and open at the other end edge;

' (B).a generally rectangular liner comprising upper and lower layersfolded'one upon the other along a transverse fold line and engaged within said case with its fold line adjacent the closed end of said case; .t

(C) a generally rectangular magnifying lens unit having longitudinal side edges and inner and outer transverse end edges and disposed between said layers of said liner for retracting and projecting longitudinal movement, whereby in a retracted position said unit is concealed within said case and in a projected position is exposed beyond the open end of said case;

(D) means fixing said liner within said case while permitting the projecting and retracting movement of said lens unit through the open end of said case; and

(E) means for limiting the projecting movement of said lens unit.

2. A pocket magnifier as defined in claim 1, wherein said case is transparent and said liner is opaque.

3. A pocket magnifier'as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for fixing said liner within said case comprises secured together areas of said upper and lower layers of said case disposed at the corners thereof formed by its side edges and its open end edge, said areas being diS- posed at each side of the longitudinal side edges of said lens unit to permit projecting and retracting movement of saidflens unit, said liner having corner cutouts embracing said secured areas, and said lens unit having projections upon its side edges adjacent its inner end edge disposed in longitudinal line with said secured areas whereby said lens unit is limited in its projected position through the blocking of said projections by said secured areas.

4. A pocket magnifier as defined in claim 3, wherein said case is formed of thermoplastic sheet material and said secured areas are heat seals.

5. A pocket magnifier as defined in claim 3, wherein eyelets are engaged through said layers of said case to provide said secured areas.

6. A pocket magnifier as defined in claim 1, wherein one layer of said liner has an extension at the open end of said case folded inwardly about a transverse fold line with a slot along said fold line terminating in inwardly spaced relation to the side edges of said liner providing fold portions between the ends of said slot and the side edges of said liner, said lens unit having retracting and projecting movement through said slot, and said fold portions being in longitudinal line with said projections of said lens unit. l

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,649,838 8/1953 Krause et al. 3,140,883 7/1964 Anthony.

' FOREIGN PATENTS 619,204 3/ 1949 Great Britain.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner.

M. I. TOKAR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POCKET MAGNIFIER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CAS FORMED OF SUPERIMPOSED UPPER AND LOWER LAYERS CLOSED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL SIDES EDGES AND ALONG ONE END EDGE OF THE CASE AND OPEN AT THE OTHER END EDGE; (B) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR LINER COMPRISING UPPER AND LOWER LAYERS FOLDED ONE UPON THE OTHER ALONG A TRANSVERSE FOLD LINE AND ENGAGED WITHIN SAID CASE WITH ITS FOLD LINE ADJACENT THE CLOSED END OF SAID CASE; 